Bumper Clash

22nd September 2016

 

 

It’s only the 22nd September and there’s already a mouthwatering clash of last seasons top class national hunt flat racers at Perth today. Ballyandy [in centre of picture, red] victorious at the Cheltenham Festival in March takes on the winner of the same race in 2015, Moon Racer. Trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies and David Pipe respectively, both stables are in decent form and have had recent winners at the track. Ballyandy has the scope to make a good chaser in time but preference today is for the injury prone Moon Racer in the hands of Tom Scudamore.

Roll up, Roll up the Festivals on

12th March 2019

Only one short priced winner yesterday and the loss went up to £12.

Well the festival is here along with the rain and wind. It is difficult to believe the description of the ground at the moment still has some of the word good in it. It looks like the favourites could have a good day so I going for shorter prices.

Al Dancer 1.30 9/2, Glen Forsa 2.10 4/1, Buveur D’Air 3.30  5/2 and O K Corral 5.30 100/30. Total Odds 40.71.

 

Victorious Venetia

11th March 2019

There was no bet yesterday and two losing ones’ on Saturday so the loss rose to £11. There were some winners though and Venetia Williams trained two of them so I stick with her today with two amongst a suggested treble. Achille runs in the 4.0 at Taunton at 11/4 with Longhousesignora in the 3.20 at Plumpton at 7/2. The third horse is Smarty Wild in the 4.30 at Taunton at 4/5 who won for us last week. Total odds 29.4/1.

Declarations have now been made for the start of the Festival tomorrow and our selections have been firmed up.

1.30 Win Al Dancer 9/2         EW Elixer de Nuit 8/1

2.10 Win Glen Forsa 7/2.      EW Paloma Blue 10/1

2.50 WIn Magic of Light 14/1.  EW Up for Review 10/1

3.30 Win Buveur D’Air 9/4    EW. Espoir D’Allen 20/1

4.10 Win Benie des Dieux 5/6.   EW  Elimay 20/1

4.50 Win Tower Bridge 8/1.   EW. Quamino 14/1

5.30 Win OK Corral 3/1     EW    Whisperinthebreeze  16/1

 

 

An actual bet for tomorrow will follow

 

Girls to save the day – Kerry Lee, Venetia Williams and Bridget Andrews at Hereford

8th March 2019

Two winners from three but the loss increased to £9, today. I have 2 four horse roll ups for tomorrow.

There are two for Kerry Lee from four at Hereford being Kings Monarch 2.50 at 13/8, Top and Drop 4.0 at 7/4, Town Parks 4.35 at 6/1 and Redzor 5.10 at 9/4 at accumulative odds of 164.23/1.

There are two from each of Sandown and Gowran in the other accumulator, being Vent D’Automne in the 1.55 at 7/2 and Doctor Phoenix in the 3.40 at 13/2 at Gowran and Dream du Grand Val in the 2.25 at 15/2 and Commodore in the 3.35 at 9/2 at Sandown, at accumulative odds of 1577.81.

The day 3  six day declarations have been made for Cheltenham and some tentative hopes are given below.

1.30 JLT Chase Kidisart 9/1 and Drovers Lane 16/1

2.10 Pertemps Hurdle Not Many Left14/1 and Cap Ork12/1

2.50 Ryanair Chase Min 3/1 and Tout est Permis 16/1

3.30 Stayers Hurdle Paisley Park 13/8 and Supasundae 7/1

4.10 Brown Advisory Chase Not Another Muddle 16/1 and Janika 7/1

4.50 Mares Novice Hurdle Salsaretta 12/1 and Sinoria 5/1

5.30 Kim Muir Chase Any Second Now 9/1 and Out Sam 20/1

 

Reve up for winners, F1 is around the corner

8th March 2019

A bad day yesterday with no winners and the loss rose to £8. Today I have gone for a treble . Le Reve in the 3.40 at Sandown 4/1, Precious Cargo in the 2.0 also at Sandown at 4/6 and Eastlake in the 4.0 at Leicester at 7/4. Total odds of 22.92/1.

With 6 day declarations announced for Cheltenham Wednesday my initial thought a are as follows

1.30 Ballymore Hurdle Champ 11/4 and Allaho 12/1

2.10 RSA chase Topofthegame 7/2 and Mister Malarkey 14/1

2.50  Coral Cup Dallas des Pictons 8/1 and French Crusader 25/1

3.30 Champion Chase it has to be Altior 2/5

4.10 Cross Country Chase Tiger Roll evens and Auvergnat 5/1

4.50 Fred Winter Hurdle Friend orr Foe 7/1 and Band of Outlaws 5/1

5.30 Champion Bumper Blue Sari 4/1 and Envoi Allen 3/1

The favourites or second favourites look like having an extremely good day next Wednesday and it looks like Gordon Elliott will be back in the winners enclosure at some time

 

Festival 6 day declaration thoughts Day 1

7th March 2019

With the last forfeit stage by the beginning of next week, here are some tentative selections on the e siting entries. Whilst prices are quoted it is not advisable to take a price until the overnight stage, as all news and form has already been factored in.

1.30 Supreme Hurdle Al Dancer 3/1 Elixir De Nutz 7/1

2.10 Arkle Chase Glen Forsa 7/2 Real Steel 14/1

2.50 Ultima Chase Magic of Light 20/1 Up for Review 11/1

3.30 Champion Hurdle Buveur D’Air  2/1 Espoir D’Allen 16/1

4.10 OLBG Hurdle Benie des Dieux 4/5 Queenohearts 25/1

4.40 Clos Bros Chase Tower Bridge 10/1 Diable de Sivola 33/1

5.30 Nation Hunt Chase Whisperinthebreeze 16/1 O K Corral 11/4 and a real long shot Plantaganet 150/1

Theres nothing from Gordon Elliot, but three from Willie Mullins, Two from both Nicky Henderson and Jessica Harrington who is a long shot to be top trainer! at around 66/1 and her main jockey Robbie Power around 33/1 to be top jockey.

In for the Max

6th March 2019

Two winners a second and a third meant the loss rose to £7.

I have another four horse roll up for tomorrow and this time it’s Southwell’s card that has very few runners and short priced favourites.

The selections are Dolly Dupree 3.0 Southwell 4/7, Sojourn 4.20 Wincanton 11/2, Break the Silence 4.5 at Southwell 10/11 and sticking with David Maxwell his expensive hunter purchase Road to Riches 5.35 Carlisle at 7/4. Combined odds of 53.62/1.

 

Odds on to lose, but who ?

6th March 2019

Two out of three yesterday but no cash, and the loss rose to £6.

Today’s racing over jumps is extremely poor and field sizes at two of the meetings have been decimated due to the trainers action against ARC. I don’t blame one or two small trainers trying to make some hay with poor performers, whilst those that can afford to leave horses in their stables do so.

It’s a short price roll up today with lots of odds on shots around and inevitably some will be beaten. Just a matter of picking the right ones.

Lucy Wadhams yard continues to go well and the first choice is Gregarious ridden by her claimer, Maxime Tissier, in the 3.10 at Fontwell at 4/7. STaying at Fontwell in the 4.40 there’s Lily the Pink at 11/10. There are two more at Catterick to complete the bet, Diplomate Sivola for in form Philip Hobbs with free spending owner, David Maxwell in the plate for the hunters chase in the 4.50, at 8/13. Finally Miss Heritage makes the long trip north for David Elsworth for the bumper at 10/11 in the 5.20 in the hands of George Eddery, son of Newmarket trainer Robert and nephew of the late Pat.

Overall odds  of 11.19/1

Nothing on EBay to mention today.

Whizz ‘n Wild

5th March 2019

Only two winners plus three seconds in the 5 horse roll up plus a shocking day in Ireland and this years loss has risen to £5.

There has been nothing of great interest on EBay  for a couple of days.

Today I gave gone for a treble including one from Henry Oliver being The Crazed Moon in the 3.0 at Newcastle at 3/1. The other two selections run in the 2.15 and 3.15 at Exeter being Smarty Wild at 11/10 for Philip Hobbs and Danny Whizzbang at 3/1 for Paul Nicholls respectively. Combined Odds of 33.60/1.

Joseph, Rachel & Michael

4th March 2019

One winner two seconds and a third and overall another losing bet . The new loss stands at £3.

I have two bets for today. Rachel Blackmore is about six winners behind Paul Townend in the race to be Irish National Hunt champion Jockey, which finishes at the end of April. She has gone through a slow spell recently but with Paul at 1/7 and Rachel around 4/1 she still rates a good bet, particularly if Gigginstown get behind her which they may well do to make her the first woman champion, whilst getting one over the Mullins machine. She has better rides than Paul at Leopardstown today and teams up with Joseph O’Brien and Gigginstown (O’Leary’s) in the first three races and I have gone for a treble of £154/1. They are Alighting in the 1.30 at 5/2, Eviscerating in the 2.0 at 10/1 and Commandant in the 2.30 at 3/1.

The other bet is a 67.68/1 five teamed with two at Wolverhampton ridden by the unstoppable Oisin Murphy, one for Nicky Henderson who remains in super form prior to the festival. Christian Williams had a winner yesterday but I chose the wrong one, he has some good chances today At Fakenham and I hope this time I have got it right. The last one is for the Twiston-Davies team and owners, the Rooneys’.

The five are Uno Mas 3.10 Fakenham at 5/2, Raising the Bar 4.50 Fakenham at 5/4 Good boy Bobby 3.20 Southwell at 1/2, Mootasadir 6.40 Wolverhampton at 10/11 and finally Sundiata 8.15 Wolverhampton at 2/1.

Pete to climb a mountain for Sherwood

3rd March 2019

So I restarted where I left off with one winner from six including three short priced losers from the Nicholls’ stable and a new £2 running loss. I have gone for another £1 four horse roll up today Trull La La 2.30 Huntingdon for the Henderson, de Boinville, Kelvin Hughes Trull House Stud team at 13/8, Piton Pete in the 3.0 at the same track for Oliver Sherwood, Leighton Aspell who shared a double yesterday at Doncaster (Aspel rode a treble) at 9/4. At Sedgefield I like Christian Williams’ Sideways in the 2.50 at 11/4, his string continues to go well and with fellow trainer Henry Oliver they are two of the success stories of the season. Watch out for Oliver’s claimer Jason Dixon who is riding plenty of winners from a small number of rides. In the last race at Sedgfield (5.0) I like the Gavin Sheehan ridden Stony Stream for owner Andrew Brooks. They also teamed up for a winner at Doncaster yesterday. Total odds to return £79.87.

There are a couple of interesting items on eBay.  Firstly there is what may be a paperweight commemorating the victory of the mare Emblem in the 1863 Grand National, ridden by George Stevens who lived on Cleeve Hill near Cheltenham Racecourse. I can do no better than to add an extract from Con O’Learys book Grand National describing both the career of Emblem and the race itself.

The he second item is a tray issued by the Whitbread beer group early in the 1960’s commemorating the winners of their famous sponsored race late each April, the Whitbread Gold Cup. In those days the roll of honour was a who’s who of great horses, not like today when it is just another long distance steeplechase. The early winners included Arkle,Pas Seul, Dormant, Taxidermist, and one of my favourites Frenchman’s Cove. Just a few years later it was won by the likes of Mill House, Diamond Edge and another of my favourites Royal Toss. You would struggle to remember what horse won any of the last 10 running shoes are f the race. A great shame for a once great race.